The invention herein pertains to an apparatus and method for washing play balls and particularly pertains to an apparatus used for washing lightweight polymeric balls as used in children""s ball pools or pens.
Ball washers are necessities with the increase in the number of children that play in ball pools which are available at commercial restaurants, playgrounds, campsites and the like. In order to maintain the balls in a clean, safe condition, ball and pool cleaning is a regular part of the maintenance now performed. Ball washing machines have been known and used for years commercially such as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,669,096; 5,454,877 and 5,373,597.
Such prior art machines while operable, have been found to be inefficient under certain conditions. For example, previous ball washing machines have been found to jam as the ball exits the washing chamber, requiring constant surveillance during washing cycles. Other ball washing machines have required germicidal chemicals and detergents to sanitize the balls before returning them to the ball pools.
In addition, prior art washing apparatus and methods have had to operate at relatively slow speeds in order to sufficiently clean, sanitize and dry the balls before returning them to the ball pools.
Thus with the problems and disadvantages associated with prior art ball washing apparatus and methods, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives to provide a ball washing apparatus which is both efficient and trouble-free.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a ball washing apparatus and method in which balls can be easily, quickly cleaned and returned to the ball pool without the ball return conduit jamming.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a ball cleaning method which is free of chemical germicides.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a ball washing machine which as an improved, trouble-free venturi assembly which optionally rinses, brushes, diaphragms and air dries washed balls and quickly evacuates them to a return conduit.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below.
The aforesaid and other objectives are realized by providing a ball washer and method for lightweight, polymeric balls typically used in children""s ball pools. The washing device includes an improved washing chamber having a rotating brush and in one embodiment, an ultraviolet light source which will sanitize the water used therein without the necessity of chemical additives. The ball washing machine receives soiled balls through an entry conduit whereupon the balls are directed to a washing chamber and are scrubbed by rotating brushes in irradiated water. Upon completing the scrubbing cycle the balls are then directed upwardly by mechanical force into an exit conduit where they pass from the washing chamber into a venturi assembly. Optionally, the balls are then subjected to a rinsing action if xe2x80x9cin-linexe2x80x9d cleaning is performed as opposed to cleaning in xe2x80x9cself-containedxe2x80x9d or closed washing chambers. The balls next pass through a circular brush where excess moisture is removed and then through an elastomeric member or diaphragm which further removes remaining moisture. Next, the balls are finally dried by an air knife before passing upwardly past the high pressure air line of the venturi assembly which forces the balls from the washing machine back to the ball pool or other location as desired through a ball return conduit. The balls are prevented from jamming in the venturi assembly by a divider at the high pressure line junction which prevents misdirection of the balls and allows them to rapidly pass therethrough.